Waking Dream
by RedHarlequin
Summary: A local hero is receiving an award for his deeds but when he realized his family isn't there, thing turn from bad to worse. It seems so real until it happens again & again & again. What is real & what is a dream? Be careful or you may not be able to tell.


A/N: I had originally written this story for the Ravenloft websites netbook on the Nightmare Lands. However, I missed the deadline. But shortly thereafter the website published a collection of stories on Ravenloft, so I submitted it for that.

Disclaimer: Ravenloft, the Nightmare Lands supplement and all it's supplements aren't mine. Any references to any of the characters, places and settings are solely the property of TSR, except where specified.

**Waking Dreams**

Alex is a seasoned warrior, a hero in his community for thwarting the aims of many a highwayman, fouling beasts, and rescuing a child who had fallen down a cliff that no one else could reach. He is at a ceremony in honor of his great deeds, something he didn't want. For he didn't truly deserve it, it was his duty. He truly felt he did nothing special. During the ceremony, he stands outside the town hall fidgeting hoping it would be over soon, so he could go home to his wife and children. But then he realizes, they should be here. Where are they? He looks around for them.

"Where are they?" he says out loud.

The mayor stops in the middle of his speech and looks at him angrily. "What?" he spats.

"Where is my family?"

Just then someone races into the proceedings, a man covered in perspiration. His arm bloody, a large red spot covered the lower half of his shirt. "Highwaymen," he began out of breath. "Outside of town." He falls to his knees. Alex runs to him. It's his neighbor. "They got her," he breathes heavily and collapses in Alex's arms. "And the children." He breathes heavily again. "Near the gorge." He slumps in Alex's arms. "Go to them," he whispers. "Old Man's Meadow." He sighs, his breath slowing. "Before sunset, or…they…die." He breathes one last time.

Without hesitating, Alex lays the lifeless body of his friend down gently and bolts for his horse. Old Man's Meadow was nearly half a day's ride from town. And it was after noon. He would have to hurry in order to make it in time. He leaps onto his horse and raced out of town. He races down the road, past the gorge. He sees a dead horse, a broken wagon, several pools of blood, and a rag doll. He pushes his horse on. Finally as the sun crests the horizon, he bursts into the clearing of Old Man's Meadow. He sees a group of five men standing around a large tree with four bodies handing from the two large branches near the bottom. He races into the clearing, drawing his sword as he leaps from the horse. He begins hacking and slashing at the five men on the ground to get to the tree. When he finally gets to the tree he leaps into the air and swings, cutting the ropes hanging two of the bodies. They fall lifeless to the ground. He leaps at the other branch and cuts the other two bodies down. He drops his sword and grabs the bodies. He screams holding the lifeless bodies of his family in his arms.

Townsfolk take the bodies of his family and put them on a cart. They take Alex by the arms and lead him to the front seat of the cart. As he climbs up into the seat he notices something under the tree. A woman. Her skin is ivory, her eyes black, a tattered, faded ballerina costume adorns her frail body with pale bloody handprint stains on it. She pirouettes mournfully in the shadows of the hangman's tree.

Alex stares into Dr. Burrow's face, a tear falls down his cheek. He lowers his head exhausted.

"You actually saw the woman dancing? The Ghost Dancer," Dr. Burrow says.

"Yes," he whispers, his voice shaking. "As clearly as I see you now."

Alex stands outside the town hall fidgeting hoping it would be over soon, so he could go home to his wife and children. But then he realizes, they aren't here. Where are they? He looks around for them.

"Where are they?" he says aloud.

The mayor stops in the middle of his speech, he looks angry. "What?" he spats.

"Where is my family?"

Just then someone races into the proceedings, a man covered in perspiration. His arm bloody, a large red spot covered the lower half of his shirt. "Highwaymen," he says out of breath. "Outside of town." He falls to his knees. Alex runs to him. It's his neighbor. "They got her," he breathes heavily and collapses in Alex's arms. "And the children." He breathes heavily again. "Near the gorge." He slumps in Alex's arms. "Go to them," he whispers. "Old Man's Meadow." He sighs, his breath slowing. "Before sunset, or…they…die." He breathes one last time.

Without hesitating, Alex lays the lifeless body of his friend down gently and bolts for his horse. Old Man's Meadow was nearly half a day's ride from town. And it was after noon. He would have to hurry in order to make it in time. He leaps onto his horse. He races out of town, down the road, past the gorge. He sees a dead horse, a broken wagon, several pools of blood, and a rag doll. He pushes his horse on. Finally as the sun crests the horizon, he bursts into the clearing of Old Man's Meadow. He sees a group of five men standing around a large tree with four bodies handing from the two large branches near the bottom. Away from the tree there are five empty, glass coffins setting upright against a wagon. He races into the clearing, drawing his sword as he leaps from the horse. He begins hacking and slashing at the five men on the ground to get to the tree. When he finally gets to the tree he leaps into the air and swings but suddenly there are five more men between him and the tree. His family reaches out to him as he fights these new foes.

Finally, these five men fall to the ground. Only there are five more men standing between him and his family. When they fall there are five more men, then five more men. His families' faces begin to turn blue. But there are five more men preventing him from reaching them. Then five more men, and five more, and five more, and five more. Suddenly he realizes he isn't in the clearing anymore. He hasn't even entered the clearing. And five men stand by the tree, his family still hanging there, their arms fall to their sides as he can see the life leaving their bodies.

Alex screams. "NO!"

Then he notices the coffins. There in one of the glass coffins is a man. He is a tall, intelligent, upper-class gentleman in an impeccably tailored suit. His arms folded over his chest. His black hair is perfectly styled. His right eye is open looking through a monocle attached to his vest; his left eye is closed.

Alex stares into Dr. Burrow's face, a stream of tears falling down his face. He lowers his head exhausted.

"And you saw a man in the coffin? Hypnos," Dr. Burrow asks.

"Yes, watching the fight."

"This makes two."

Alex stands outside the town hall fidgeting. He wants to go home to his wife and children. But then he realizes, they should be here. Where are they? He looks around for them.

"Where are they?" he says aloud.

The mayor stops in the middle of his speech, he looks furious. "What?" he growls.

"Where is my family?"

Just then a man races into the proceedings, covered in perspiration. His arm bloody, a large red spot covered the lower half of his shirt. "Highwaymen," he says out of breath. "Outside of town." He falls to his knees. Alex runs to him. It's his neighbor. "They got her," he breathes heavily and collapses in Alex's arms. "And the children." He breathes heavily again. "Near the gorge." He slumps in Alex's arms. "Go to them," he whispers. "Old Man's Meadow." He sighs, his breath slowing. "Before sunset, or…they…die." He breathes one last time.

Without hesitating, Alex lays the lifeless body of his friend down gently and bolts for his horse. Old Man's Meadow was nearly half a day's ride from town. And it was after noon. He would have to hurry in order to make it in time. He leaps onto his horse and raced out of town. He races down the road, past the gorge. He sees a dead horse, a broken wagon, several pools of blood, and a rag doll. He pushes his horse on. Finally as the sun crests the horizon, he bursts into the clearing of Old Man's Meadow. He sees a group of five men standing around a large tree with four bodies handing from the two large branches near the bottom. He races into the clearing, drawing his sword as he leaps from the horse. He begins hacking and slashing at the five men on the ground to get to the tree.

"No," one of the men standing there screams.

Alex cuts his way through the men until there is no resistance. When he finally gets to the tree he leaps into the air and swings, cutting the ropes hanging two of the bodies. They fall lifeless to the ground. He leaps at the other branch and cuts the other two bodies down. He drops his sword and grabs the bodies. He screams holding the lifeless bodies of his family in his arms. Then he realizes, it's not his family. Four men look up at him, smiling.

"Thank you sweetheart," a man says. "Saved me from the hangman's noose you did." He begins to laugh.

"Where's my family?" Alex screams.

"At the bottom of the gorge, sweetie," the man says. "We killed them after sending the fool off." The men jump up out of his arms and run from the clearing.

He stands, looking around the clearing. Then he looks at the five men he killed getting to the tree. They look familiar, because they are. They are five members of his militia, five of his friends.

"No," he whispers. "What have I done?" In a panic he looks around trying to think. "What am I going to do?"

He sheaths his sword and starts walking back and forth from the clearing to the woods beyond. He stops at the edge of the woods and looks in. Dense foliage and underbrush cover the floor of the woods.

"Alex."

Alex spins around to see a man. He is a tall young man wearing a chain mail shirt with a tabard over it with the town's militia insignia on it. "Jared?" Alex says, stunned. Then he realizes there are always six men on patrol. Jared is the sixth.

"Alex, what happened here?" Jared speaks calmly, in a friendly tone.

Alex is confused. "What do you mean?"

"Where are the highwaymen?"

"What does it look like?" Alex says fearfully.

"It looks like someone came up and killed the militia as they hung the highwaymen. Then cut them down and they fled into the woods," Jared says.

Alex feels relief. Jared doesn't seem to suspect him. "Yes, it does look that way. It's impossible to track them through the dense underbrush.

"Let's go back to town and get others to help. Maybe we can catch them on the other side. Send word to the other towns to be on the lookout for them."

"Yes, that sounds good," Alex says walking to his horse.

"That's what we'll tell the town," Jared says.

"Yes," Alex says.

"We needn't tell them anything else."

"Why would we?" Alex turns to Jared curiously.

"That's how it looks, so that's what we'll say. They needn't know anything else."

"What do you mean? 'Anything else'?"

"You were trying to save your family. You couldn't see straight. I understand that. It was a mistake. No one need know anything more."

"What?" Alex says, anger growing within him.

"I was standing by the meadow's entrance. I say everything. No one need know anything," Jared says. "Anyone can make that mistake. Even you."

Alex suddenly became very afraid. Jared knew what really happened. He couldn't let anyone know. Fear grew within him like a volcano about to erupt. Something had to be done. "No, Jared, no one need know." Alex looks around the meadow. No one around but him and Jared. They are alone. As Jared goes to mount his horse Alex drew his weapon and deals with the problem in one swift stroke.

Jared's lifeless body falls to the ground in a heap. Alex looks around again. Still no one. He kneels down and wipes the blood from his sword then stands to mount his own horse and return to town when he sees him. Or rather it, hovering by the entrance to the meadow, a winged serpent with vibrantly colored stripes.

Alex stares into Dr. Burrow's face.

"And you saw a rainbow colored serpent watching? The Rainbow Serpent," Dr. Burrow asks.

"Yes," he says.

"Three, three! I can't believe it."

Alex's eyes glaze over and he seems to not see the doctor anymore.

Alex stands outside the town hall fidgeting hoping it would be over soon, so he could go home to his wife and children. But then he realizes, they aren't here. Where are they? He looks around for them.

"Where are they?" he says aloud.

The mayor stops in the middle of his speech, he looks angry. "What?" he spats.

"Where is my family?"

Just then someone races into the proceedings, a man covered in perspiration. His arm bloody, a large red spot covered the lower half of his shirt. "I'm sorry," he says out of breath. "It slipped." He falls to his knees. Alex runs to him. It's his neighbor. "My wife," he breathes heavily and collapses in Alex's arms. "She's going to her." He breathes heavily again. "You wife." He slumps in Alex's arms. "Old Man's Meadow." He sighs, his breath slowing. "Before sunset, or…she'll…tell her." He coughs, blood splatters on Alex's shirt. He put his hand gently on Alex's face and smiles. "She knows," he whispers. He breathes one last time.

Without hesitating, Alex lays the lifeless body of his friend down gently and bolts for his horse. Old Man's Meadow was nearly half a day's ride from town. And it was after noon. He would have to hurry in order to make it in time. He leaps onto his horse. He races out of town, down the road. He gets to the gorge, but the way is blocked. One of the local sheep farmers is there with his sheep. The sheep are grazing in the only path there is around the gorge.

Alex calls to the farmer, "please, I must get by."

The farmer doesn't hear him. The sheep are making too much noise.

Alex tries to push past the sheep. The farmer notices him and yells. "Stop that, you'll scare my sheep."

"Then move them," Alex demands. "I must get past."

Alex continues to push forward while the farmer tries to clear a path. Finally he's past the sheep. He continues down the road toward Old Mans' Meadow. Suddenly, a group of deer comes out of nowhere, runs past him and spooks his horse. It takes all his horseman's skills to keep from being thrown from the horse. It takes a few minutes to get the horse under control and continue on. Then there are a group of women and children in the road. They call out to him, wanting to thank him for everything he's done for the town. He acknowledges them and tells them they must move he must get by. Then there is a fallen tree blocking the road. It's too high, he doesn't believe his horse can jump over it and it's impossible to get around. An old man with a mule drawn cart is standing there. He offers to help get the tree out of the way. He suggests they tie both animals to the tree and pull it from the roadway. They tie the animals to the tree and pull it out of the way. The old man thanks him and they are both off down the road toward Old Man's Meadow.

He sees Old Man's Meadow ahead. Just then his horse trips. He and the horse tumble to the ground. The horse lands on top of him. He feels bones crack in his legs. He checks the horse, hoping he can get it to roll off him. The horse is dead. He tries to push the horse off. The pain in his legs is horrible. It blurs his vision. The horse rolls off. He begins to crawl toward the meadow. Just as he crawls into the meadow he sees two women by the old tree. One is his wife, the other his friend's wife. They are talking. There are children playing in the meadow. His children.

"No!" he screams. But they don't seem to hear him. "Please, no!" he screams louder. They still don't hear.

Then his wife puts her face in her hands and starts to cry. She looks over to where he is, pain on her face, tears in her eyes. She runs over and grabs the children and runs down the road away from him.

Alex screams in anger. His friend's wife turns and runs toward him a bloody short sword in her hands. He grabs his long sword from is scabbard and holds it out toward the woman. She trips and falls onto his sword. As she hits the ground her sword cuts into his stomach. The woman lies dead at his side, his sword plunged through her chest. Then he hears laughter.

He turns to see an old woman by the tree. She is a hunched, leathery brown-skinned woman in animal skins. She's leaning on a gnarled staff. Her deep, clear eyes peer at him from beneath wrinkled flesh. He calls to her, but she just laughs. Her laughter makes him angrier as he lies there in a growing pool of blood. She laughs. He grows angrier. Her laughter echoes in his ears, he grows hot with anger.

Alex stares into Dr. Burrow's face, an angry look on his face. His eyes glaring.

"And the old woman, you're sure about her? Mullonga," Dr. Burrow asks.

"Yes," he says, still angry.

"That makes four, four of the five. And all this while we sat here?"

"Yes," Alex's eyes glaze. "Will this ever end doctor?"

"The nightmares? I don't know Alex. I have never known anyone who have fallen victim to more than one member of the Nightmare Court. Let alone four members. I will have to consult with my colleagues." Dr. Burrow stands to leave the room.

"I can't take much more of this, doctor."

Dr. Burrow turns to look at Alex. "I wish I could say more. But the mind is not always something that can be cured easily, especially when the Nightmare Court is involved."

"That's not the right answer doctor," Alex says calmly looking up at Dr. Burrows.

There is a strange look in Alex's eyes that sends a chill down Dr. Burrow's back. Fear grips the doctor and he feels the need to leave quickly. He turns to leave the room.

"No doctor," Alex began, "that's not the right answer at all."

Dr. Burrow pounds on the door to be let out.

"I think if I stop you, I will stop the dreams." Alex stands. Dr. Burrow turns to look at Alex. Alex smiles, cold and maliciously. Dr. Burrow goes pale. The window in the door opens. Alex lunges at the doctor.

"Help!" Dr. Burrow screams.

Keys are heard in the door's lock. The guard calls for more help.

"Heeeellllllp!" Dr. Burrow screams again, a gurgling sound to his voice.

The door opens, but only about a foot. Alex and the doctor are on the floor preventing it from opening further. The guard calls again. More men push on the door. The door finally opens enough for one guard to gain entrance. He sees a gruesome sight. Alex has Dr. Burrow on the floor and is clawing and biting at his flesh, ripping him apart. The guard swings the nightstick down to make contact with Alex's head. It sends him to the ground. He gets up and goes for the doctor again. The guard hits Alex again with the nightstick. Alex hits the ground again. Alex gets up again and slams against the door to prevent anyone else from entering. The guard swings again. Alex hits the floor again. He gets up again and goes for the doctor. The guard swings yet again. The guard outside the room throws his weight against the door sending it, the doctor and Alex flying across the room. Alex gets up and goes for the doctor again. Another guard enters the room and grabs the doctor and tries to drag him from the room. The first guard swings on Alex again. This time Alex doesn't hit the floor. Something catches Alex's attention. Then he notices another man in the room, in the corner. It is a mysterious figure in dark, tattered robes. A hood covers his face and head. Wisps of long silver hair can be seen escaping from the hood. The robe appears to be made of spider web with dozens of large, black spiders crawling all over him weaving more web. His gnarled, pale hands are the only things visible from beneath the robes. The bony hands like talons are held out toward Alex, the fingers moving in a strange dance. Strings hang from the taloned fingers and stretch toward Alex. These stings end at Alex, they are attached to him, his limbs as if making him move like a marionette. The guard swings again. Alex lands on the floor. He rolls over onto his back and looks up at the mysterious figure. The figure's hands stop moving. Alex doesn't move. The figure fades away. He looks over at the guard. Dr. Burrow's blood covers his mouth and chin. Alex's own blood streams down his right temple like a river disappearing into the dark forest of hair. Alex smiles up at his attacker.

"Don't stop. Keep swinging. Don't stop until I no longer breath. It must end."

Then Alex hears a noise in the corner of the room. The corner is dark and he thinks he sees someone watching.

Alex stares into Dr. Burrow's face, a defeated look on his face. "It must stop doctor."

"That was quick. With little break between the dreams. And this time you attacked me. And you're sure of the description of the figure controlling you like a puppet?"

"Yes."

"The Nightmare man, that makes all five. Never has this happened before. I really must consult my colleagues." Dr. Burrow gets up to walk to the door, but remembering this last dream of Alex's. He turns to look at him, feeling a bit uneasy. Alex lay on the bed, motionless looking up at the doctor. Alex's face was pale, his eyes dull and lifeless. He blinks. Dr. Burrow turns, goes to the door, and knocks. The window opens then closes. Then the door opens. Just before leaving, Dr. Burrow turns to look at Alex once more. "I will try to do everything I can to help you, Alex."

"Yes, doctor," Alex says, calm, cold resignation in his voice.

The doctor exits the room.

Just as the door closes, Dr. Burrow hears Alex call to him. He opens the window in the door. Alex is standing right there looking out at him, a strange wild look on his face. He smiles at the doctor.

"Tell them quickly doctor, for if you wait, they may doubt your words." Then Alex laughs. The laugh sends a cold chill through Dr. Burrow's body right to his core. "_He_ wants them to know. Credit where credit is due, after all"

He walks immediately to Dr. Gregorian Illhousen's office, the chief physician of the Clinic for the Mentally Distressed in Egertus, Nova Vaasa. He has made a personal study of the Nightmare Court and Dr. Burrow knows if anyone could help, Dr. Illhousen can. As Dr. Burrow walks past the nurse's station, there is a noise in a dark corner. He looks into the shadows and sees something, or at least he thinks he does. It is a man. But the doctor pays him no mind.

"All this trouble over an affair he had with his neighbor. The neighbor's wife mortally wounded him when she found out. He lives long enough to get to town to warn Alex. The neighbor's wife tells Alex's wife who left him and took the children. Alex killed the neighbor's wife when she tried to kill him."

"That does seem the most likely event. According to the reports, the townsfolk remember hearing the neighbor say something about their wives, and Alex was found at this Old Man's Meadow under his dead horse with his neighbor's wife impaled on his sword and her sword in his side. Also his wife and three children had made a hasty departure that day."

"What a mess. Well, put all this down in your session book then go home for the night," says Dr. Illhousen.

After telling his superior everything that happened with Alex, he goes back to his office and puts everything down in the patient's file. Then Dr. Burrow decides to go back and talk with Alex one more time. He wants to know who this '_he_' is who wants credit.

It is late, a lot later than he thought. He was up all night putting down all the information from his session with Alex. The sun would be coming up soon. But he still feels he needs to talk to Alex one more time.

When he gets to Alex's room, it's empty and the door is open. The mattress is rolled up and tied. He calls to the nurse on duty. The nurse isn't there. It is his superior, Dr. Illhousen.

"Where is Alex? And why isn't the nurse here?"

"Your patient died an hour after your session, Dr. Burrow. It was as if his body and mind just gave up. I told you this last week. Don't you remember?"

"Last week, I talked to him just last night."

"Why don't you tell me again doctor, what is the last thing you remember?"

"I put everything down in my session book about my meeting with Alex. Then I wanted to talk to Alex about this mysterious man who wants credit. I wanted to talk to him about it again. I went to his room and it's empty. And now you're here."

Just then Dr. Burrow hears a noise in a dark corner just past the nurse's station. He looks into the shadows and sees something, or at least he thinks he does. It is a man, tall and thin with porcelain skin and overly large pointed ears. His eyes are bright green with vertical slits and seems to reflect the light like an animals. He smiles. His teeth are sharp and pointed and his tongue is forked. His long red hair seems to glow like burning embers. He wears a simple black robe and carries a large purple feather quill in his left hand. He has a tablet in his right. He holds the tablet so Dr. Burrow can see and he puts a second hash mark on the page.

"Am I awake Dr. Illhousen?"

"Yes, you have been for the past week. We're very worried about you. Sleep deprivation has made you hallucinate."

Dr. Burrow looks up at the man in the corner and fells cold. A wave of realization floods over him.

"It's not sleep deprivation and I'm not hallucinating."

"Than what is it?"

"'_Him._'" He looks around the room. It isn't the nurse's station. It is a patient's room, his room. And _he_ is still standing in the corner. "That's how he works, that's how he gets you." He sits down on the bed and looks over to his colleague. "There is a new member of the Nightmare Court, Dr. Illhousen. You should be careful. I wouldn't loose any sleep if I were you. Or you could be number three."

A/N: The characters of Alex the patient, the people in his "Waking Dreams", Dr. Burrow, and the sixth member of the Nightmare Court with the long red hair, purple feather quill and tablet are mine. The remaining characters are Ravenloft Cannon.


End file.
